History
The national TidyTowns initiative was launched in 1958 by Bord Fáilte (now Fáilte Ireland). It was originally part of ‘Tostal’, a nationwide festival celebrating all things Irish. A step-up from the original National Spring Clean Campaign, which ran between 1953 and 1957, TidyTowns rapidly developed its own identity and has gone on to become Ireland’s most well-known and popular local environmental initiative.
Right from the start, the primary focus of TidyTowns was to encourage communities to improve their local environment and make their area a better place to live, work and visit. The competition aspect was an important element in developing friendly rivalry that would help boost standards across the board. The winner of the first competition held in 1958 was Glenties, Co Donegal. However, the emphasis was always on participating rather than winning as the very act of taking part brought benefits to the community. As a result of this focus on long-term results rather than quick returns, TidyTowns was seen as a unique and far-sighted initiative.
Although just 52 towns entered in its first year, TidyTowns rapidly increased in popularity with an average of 700 entrants per year. Its success also spawned many other initiatives at national, county and local level, which further boosted its reputation and impact. It is impossible to accurately estimate the number of people who have had some involvement in TidyTowns, but it’s safe to say it has run into the hundreds of thousands, and its influence on the transformation of Ireland’s landscape is undeniable.
The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht assumed responsibility for TidyTowns and now organises the initiative with the support of national sponsor SuperValu and a number of other agencies. While its success continues, and while it has moved with the times, the competition still retains the same core principle of its founders – “make your place a better place.”
Furthermore, to access additional information on the history of TidyTowns, make sure to check out our extensive on-line archive. This includes the full set of written reports on every participant since 1996, publications of special interest to TidyTowns over the years and the complete list of overall winners. This section will expand as we gather more and more items from the rich past of the SuperValu TidyTowns, so please make sure to visit from time to time.
TidyTowns of Ireland, 1958 – 2008, Celebrating 50 years
A commemorative publication commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and SuperValu to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TidyTowns, with a focus on the winning entrants since 1958. © Whitespace Publishing Group 2008.
History of TidyTowns 1958 – 1982
History of TidyTowns commissioned by Bord Fáilte and carried out by Anco this is the definitive guide to the origins of TidyTowns. Reproduced with the kind permission of Fáilte Ireland. © Fáilte Ireland 1982.